Give blood as soon, as often as you can

The Kentucky Blood Center is in Lebanon until 6 p.m. at Centre Square in Lebanon. My hope is that I will have to wait when I go to the blood drive this afternoon (May 21).

Why do I want to wait? Because it will mean that more people are giving blood, and that is a good thing.

In light of the news following the Boston Marathon bombing and the Oklahoma tornado, I hope people realize these are but a few examples of the reasons to give blood.

After any disaster (manmade or natural), there is a need for readily available blood to assist victims. While the big events are the ones that make the news, there are also smaller incidents every day in which individuals need blood.

Even if you can’t or don’t donate today, I hope you will consider donating in the future. According to the Red Cross, only 38 percent of the population is eligible to donate, and we all know that far less than 38 percent of the population actually donates.